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Author
Topic: Are liver test always performed? (Read 1696 times)

As some of you may know I was diagnosed with Hep C almost 4 months ago. I'm doing fine, and my partner tested negative. However, he's still experiencing weird symptoms. Just stomach problems. We both are. And I'm not sure if it's from us eating out at McDonalds too often, which we not too long ago agreed to stop.

His ID seems pretty confident about the one test she performed, but I think another one should be performed just for confirmation.

I do know that my doctor always checked my liver enzymes prior to being diagnosed for Hep C. Are all doctors required to do this for their HIV patients?

My liver enzymes are checked every blood test to see how my liver is functioning with my medication. All HIV medication is processed via the liver and the enzymes give an impression of how the body is coping. This is why it's important to ensure that other meds/food stuff doesn't interact with HIV medication as the enzymes are used to process medication and not be used in other non-essential ways.

It's my understanding that they do not test liver enzymes each and every time they run standard HIV labs. My ID doctor always makes a point of telling me when they do check my liver enzymes.

I think that it depends on the doctor, who -- I hope -- is basing frequency on a patient's history as well as his/her medications. Some meds can be harder on the liver than others. I know that I have liver enzymes run on EVERY one of my regular "HIV blood draws".

So, to the OP -- instead of asking us, you would be best served to ask your doc. I request a copy of all my lab results on every visit. I like to be able to keep track of my own history and trends. It allows me to better assess any "weird" result. I keep a spreadsheet -- of course, I have a degree in laboratory sciences and worked in labs for many years, so I may be a bit of the "ordinary" in this space.

My liver enzymes are checked every blood test also. I had them shoot up in May and the doc did additional tests during that time, however it was determined that the rise in my enzymes were not because of my HIV meds. I have been UD since May and we are now are checking my bloods every 3 months